The Boss's Woman
by The GGGina
Summary: The Boss was know for his ruthlessness. He was known for violence and getting what he wants. What he didn't expect was encountering a beautiful florist who was one hell of a woman. All he wants is for her to be his. Nothing more. Nothing less. *Contains violence, potential smut, and aged up characters*
1. Chapter 1

"ARRGH!"

A man yelped as he hit the ground. He fell, becoming sprawled upon the pavement, unable to push himself up.

A group of men surrounded the dark haired man. Blood streamed down the side of his face. When he finally got enough strength to lift his body off the ground, a heavy foot sent him straight back down, his chin scraping against the pavement.

"Who said you could get up? The Boss isn't finished with you."

The bloodied man could only cough and hack in response.

"I asked you a question. Answer."

When the man didn't, he screamed soon bubbled from his lips. The heel of a shoe dug into his shoulder blades, ripping skin and drawing blood.

"That's enough Inari."

Inari withdrew his heel and turned to the blonde man in front of him.

The blonde took his time strolling up to them. He stopped a few inches before the man soaked in his own blood. His uncovered eye examined him.

"Pick 'em up. I wanna see his face." He grinned.

Two men in the group grabbed the man up from the ground by his arms, forcing him to his knees. A third man pulled his hair, forcing him to make eye contact.

Blinking to see, he stared at the blonde man in front of him.

The blonde had his hair gelled back and a black skull eyepatch on his left eye. Besides him was a man with blue hair and red eye shadow. The blue haired man looked neutral but the blonde...

He looked pissed.

The blonde squatted down to his height.

"...I finally found you."

The blonde laughed bitterly.

"After all these years... Twenty five long years...I shoulda known I'd find your ass in some dingy bar."

Finally, the bloodied man spoke.

"Wh-Who are you?"

The blonde smiled and rose to his feet.

"Inari. My gun."

The blue haired man nodded and held out a shotgun.

"Of course Boss." He said.

The blonde took the gun, caressing it lovingly.

"Funny... This gun took more care of me than my own dad."

The man paled.

"N-No way..."

The gun barrel jabbed against his forehead.

Then slapped him across the face over and over.

Blood and bruises decorated his face and the sickening crack of bones breaking followed behind shortly after. The man screamed and begged for it to stop.

But attacks only continued.

"How does it feel? It's not so fun when it happens to you, right?"

The man spat blood onto the ground. Once again, the gun found his forehead.

"Please! Don't do this..."

"And why the hell not?"

The man couldn't find any words.

"You deserve this. You've **earned **this. You think I don't know who you are?"

He grinned, the glint of a sadist in his one eye.

"Or has all the wife beating and alcohol made you stupid?"

The gun pressed into his flesh harder.

He gulped, shaking a bit.

"Ryu-"

"Don't EVER call me that." The blonde spat, his eyes full of rage.

Inari shook his head.

"Now you've angered him." He sighed.

The man trembled under the weight of the firearm.

"P-Please son... I never meant-"

"Shut up."

**BANG!**

The man didn't even get a chance to scream when the bullet shot through his skull.

"Fuckin' bastard." He said, lowering his gun.

The man's body was promptly dropped to the ground. Blood splattered around him, staining the ground red. The blonde sighed and looked down at his clothes.

Not a speck of red on him.

Inari made a square with his fingers, closing one eye as he looked at the body.

"What a beautiful scene... Such artistry. Such passion... Such-"

"Shuddap!" The blonde yelled.

Inari went silent but his fingers remained.

The blonde looked at the rest of his men.

"Take care of the body." He instructed.

"Yes Boss!"

The men took the body and began packing it away. Soon, only the blonde and Inari stood alone in the alleyway.

Silence overtook them, aside from the rustling of the blonde opening a pack of cigarettes. He held one out to Inari, who happily accepted.

They stood side by side as they enjoyed their smoke.

"So what now?" Inari asked, breaking the silence.

"What do ya mean, what now?"

"You spent your whole life rising up to the top just for this moment. Now, the moment has passed."

"So...?"

"So now, what are your plans?"

The blonde didn't answer.

"Ryuji."

Ryuji stared up at the moonless sky, the smoke of their lit cigarettes whafting in the air.

"... I'll think of something."

**_**

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

A pale hand shut the alarm up. A content sigh escaped the woman's lips. Her long black hair was strewn about messily. She felt around for her black rimmed glasses. When she finally did, the world around her cleared.

The boxes around her bed were still there, much to her disappointment.

She'd have to unpack later on.

Akira had only been living in her apartment for a few days. She hadn't gotten a chance to unpack with all the work she's been doing.

"I should get ready..."

She stood and made her way through the maze of boxes. After a quick shower, she braided her black hair and went about brushing her teeth. She looked through a box of clothing, pulling out a white spaghetti strapped dress and a knit, dark blue baggy cardigan.

Now fully dressed, she glanced at the time.

"Crap! I'm gonna be late at this rate!"

Quickly slipping on her shoes, she grabbed her bag and ran for the door.

"Oh! I almost forgot!"

She ran back inside and poured a bit of cat food into a bowl. She pushed her window open and left the bowl on the window sill.

"Can't forget Morgana's breakfast." She said with a smile.

With that, she ran out the door. Quickly locking it behind her, she walked to the end of her floor to board the elevator. She tapped her sandal clad feet as she waited.

_Maybe I should've taken the stairs.__.._

**DING!**

Akira perked up as the doors opened. She paused when a blonde haired woman pushed past her. The lady didn't even stop to say excuse me or apologize. Akira decided against voicing her annoyance.

She was already running late.

She didn't have time to be dealing with some rude neighbor.

She stepped into the elevator and made her way down the street. The subway car was packed. Akira didn't enjoy so many people in her personal space but this was her only way of getting to work.

This was the new life Akira Kurusu was living.

A young, twenty-four year old woman living on her own and independent of her parents. Moving out to the city and having a job she had gotten herself was the first step.

She couldn't keep living life the way her parents wanted to.

The train shook, slightly jostling her. The shakiness of the train was something she had yet to get used to. She always tried to get a seat so no one would see her gripping the train's pole for dear life, but today she wasn't so lucky.

She sincerely hated having so many people in her personal space. Strangers she didn't know, and probably would never know, leaning and rubbing against her.

It probably didn't help that she'd heard so many stories about women being robbed, groped, and raped on the subway either.

The train shook again, and her grip on the pole loosened. She could feel herself slide a bit. She would've tried pulling herself back, but she didn't have to.

A firm hand grasped her waist, pulling her back and held her upright.

She let out a small gasp in surprise and looked where the hand led.

It was a man. He wore a hat and a surgical mask. Most of his face was obscured and he dressed in baggy yet casual clothing. The only distinguishing trait she could see was his deep brown eyes.

The two stared at each other silently.

Neither spoke. Only stared as if the world around them had stopped.

Akira should've automatically thanked him and then made him let go.

But for some reason...

She didn't.

The warbled speech of the train conductor snapped her out of her stupor.

"Um... That's my stop coming up."

The man's grip didn't loosen.

"Sir. I'm asking you to let me go." She tried again.

He still didn't.

"I said, let me go." She said, raising her voice.

He nodded and released her waist.

The two stood awkwardly until the train came to a stop and the doors slid open.

"Thank you." She said before stepping off.

Akira didn't dare turn around. She was much too embarrassed. Here she was trying to be independent, yet she needed a stranger to help her stay standing on a subway.

_How embarrassing!_

She hurried off the platform and made her way to the street. On her way, she passed her new favorite coffee shop, Leblanc. The owner and his daughter made great coffee and food. Normally, she'd stop and grab some breakfast but she was late enough as is.

She picked up her pace a bit, and before long she spotted the shop.

The Velvet Room was a strange but quaint flower shop. The owner, Igor, was a rather strange man, along with the other various workers.

But a job was a job, so she took it.

Plus, she loved flowers, so it wasn't all bad.

Pushing open the blue door, she stepped inside.

"Sorry I'm late." She said.

A hand slammed down on the counter.

"Late again Inmate!"

Akira sighed.

"Caroline. What're you doing here this early? And where's your sister?"

Caroline sat on the counter, her pale skin and hair standing out amongst the vibrantly colored flowers.

"I am here too, Trickster."

The twin of Caroline, Justine, peered out from behind the counter. Both had matching everything, from their yellow eyes to their matching shorts and shirts.

The only way anyone could tell them apart were their attitudes and their respective hair styles. Double buns for Caroline and a long braid for Justine.

Both girls were only eight, but were often at the store due to their mother, Lavenza, being an employee.

When Akira first met the kids, she was forced into playing police and prisoners. The twins were the wardens and she was the prisoner. She had managed to trick the two into letting her free by promising to become rehabilitated.

Since then, Justine always called her Trickster and Caroline always called her Inmate.

She tied on her smock and made her way to the front counter.

"Why aren't you two at school this morning?" She asked.

"It's closed!" Caroline said happily.

"Mother got the call this morning. She said something bad happened." Justine confirmed.

Akira frowned at their words.

_Something bad happened?_

"Where's your mom?"

The twins pointed toward the backroom. After warning the girls to not break anything, she went to find Lavenza. Like the twins said, she was in the back, checking the inventory.

The short woman looked much like her children. Pale haired, pale skinned, and yellow eyed. She wore a simple blue dress and a matching headband with black gloves.

"Morning Lavenza."

She stopped and smiled at Akira.

"Good morning."

"Is Mr. Igor here?" She asked.

Lavenza shook her head.

"He told me he wouldn't be coming in today. It seems fate has taken him somewhere else."

Akira nodded.

"The girls told me they didn't have school today. What happened?"

Lavenza didn't respond. She stared straight ahead, pushing a lock of platinum blonde hair behind her ear.

"Lavenza?"

"They found a body."

"What?"

"They found a man's body."

Akira couldn't even properly form a response, but the short woman continued anyway.

"The teachers came in and discovered a body in a dumpster nearby. The police were called and they believed it was best for the children not to come in today."

"...Oh my god." She said.

Lavenza checked the last few items then tightened her apron.

"Let's not discuss this now. The shop is about to open."

Akira nodded silently and headed back to the store front. Lavenza hadn't even looked fazed by news. Akira couldn't even imagine the fear in her mind.

Having a body found so close to your children's school must be terrifying...

She shakes her head and changes the sign from closed to open.

_Time to get to work._

The little girls fled from behind the counter and ran around to the back, chasing one another.

Akira smiled at their antics and took her position behind the counter, waiting for customers.

**_**

Ryuji normally didn't go out so much. If he did it was to get the bare necessities, which was rare.

Usually Inari or the others got that kind of stuff.

His blonde hair and rough looking appearance made it hard to get around without making an effort to dress up.

But today, everyone was busy, so he had no choice.

But here he was...

Doing the exact opposite.

It all started on the subway. No seats like always, just his luck. He leaned against the pole as the train went down the tracks. Most of the folks on the train didn't interest him, so normally he kept his head down and waited for his stop.

But today was different.

Usually, no one attempted to use the same pole he was.

But this woman...

This dark haired woman held his pole like her life depended on it.

She was a bit shorter than him and looked rather delicate. She looked as if she was new to riding the subway. He grinned slightly at her discomfort. Ryuji found himself entranced and wholly entertained by her.

The way her hands trembled as she held the pole for dear life. The way her braids swayed to and fro as the train moved. Even the way she continued to inch closer and closer every time the train car shook.

It was cute honestly.

Suddenly, the train car shook violently. While many passengers weren't as shaken, the woman was.

He saw her slip.

His body moved and caught her before she fell. He held her tight before his mind could scream how wrong this was.

She didn't scream. She only stared at him.

And in those grey eyes, it was like he was peering into her soul.

_Kindness._

_Defiance._

_Rebellion._

_Strength._

It was sexy as all hell.

It also helped she too was fairly attractive.

When he finally heard her speak, he released. He watched her leave and he followed.

_I'll just tell Inari to do it._

Busy or not, Inari wouldn't let them starve.

He was too desperate for that to happen.

He followed her out to the street and watched her enter a flower shop.

_The Velvet Room? I've never seen this shop here before._

He debated on going inside, but eventually decided to just sit on a bench across the street. Hell, he even bought a newspaper just to seem less suspicious.

Ryuji watched her arrange flowers, converse with customers, and even play with some kids.

To say he was attracted to the dark haired woman was an understatement.

He was completely bewitched.

He'd been around the block. He's dated blondes, brunettes, red heads, and even bluettes.

He couldn't count how many of them he'd brought to bed.

The blonde grinned.

_I want her..._

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Glancing at the caller I.D., he answered.

"Inari."

"Ryuji! Where have you been!? You were supposed-"

"Inari, I have a job for you."

There was silence for a moment.

"... What kind of job?"

"Tell the boys there's someone I need to keep my eyes on."

**_**

It was very dark by the time Akira flipped the open sign to closed. Lavenza and the kids had left hours ago, leaving her to close up late into the night.

Locking the door behind her, she stepped out into the street.

There were no stars in the sky. Not even a moon.

It was dark with the exception of a few street lights. The streets were mostly empty, save for some homeless people and drunkards.

Akira took a deep breath, steeling herself. It was the first time she had been asked to close up shop.

The subway wasn't too far away. She was sure she could make it. Her grip on her bag tightened and her pace quickened.

_Relax Akira! If you run, you'll look like an easy target!_

She stopped and took another deep breath. Once collected, she kept going.

Her footsteps echoed in her ears. Faintly, she swore she could hear something else.

_Footsteps?_

She shook her head. There were other people probably walking around. Probably more homeless people or drunks wandering around.

_Definitely __not thugs or serial killers..._

All the terrible things her parents had ever said about the city rushed to her mind.

"Stop being paranoid." She told herself.

"Oh. I think you have every right to be."

Akira didn't even have time to scream.

A hand clamped over her mouth and the other held her arms down. She was dragged away no matter how much she thrashed and flailed. The grip on her was too strong.

The subway station grew further and further away. With her screams muffled, no one saw or heard anything.

Eventually, she was released and thrown to the ground.

She grunted in pain and looked around.

She didn't recognize her surroundings. She'd been dragged into some bricked alleyway.

A few masked men stood around her, most smiling smugly down at her.

"Well, what do we have here?" One said.

"A pretty young thing, walking all alone at night." Another added.

"Didn't your mom tell you to never go out after dark?" One taunted.

Akira frowned.

"What do you want? Money?" She spat.

The men looked amongst each other and laughed. Their jeers and guffaws began annoying her.

"What? What's so funny?!" She spat.

A man stepped forward, her bag in his hand.

Her eyes widened.

She hadn't even noticed she'd dropped it.

The man grinned as he poured out its contents. Gum, her wallet, her keys, her phone, some hair ties, her glasses case, lip balm, and other small things tumbled to the ground.

"If we wanted money, we would've robbed anyone. We want you." He said.

He moved forward and grabbed her chin.

"A pretty girl like you would be fun. Wouldn't it boys?"

The men around him hooted in agreement.

"What do ya say? Come with us?" He purred.

His hand carressed her cheek and his face moved closer to hers. Instinctively, she spat on his nose.

"Like hell I'd come with you!"

**SMACK!**

Akira's hand flew to her stinging cheek.

"You... You hit me!"

"Damn bitch! Who do you think you are?!"

**SMACK!**

A gasp escaped her mouth as another slap hit her face. He towered over her and Akira did the only thing she could do.

She kicked him in the balls.

The man howled in pain and she ran.

"Boss!"

"Don't just stand there! Go get her!"

The remaining men ran after her.

She didn't know where she was going. All the alleys looked the same. She left her keys, her phone, and everything she could've used to escape. Her eyes darted around wildly.

As she ran, her shoe got caught on something but she quickly discarded it.

Shoes could be replaced.

A person couldn't.

**CRASH!**

She screamed as she crashed into the ground. Shards of glass clung to her skin. Blood trickled down her leg. Someone had left out bottles of empty liquor. Her leg throbbed as she tried to stand.

Now she wished she had kept her sandal.

She kept going, albeit slower.

It wasn't long before they caught her.

They grabbed her hair, yanking her to the ground and pulling her braids out. She cried out in pain. Her vision grew glassy with tears.

"Hold her down."

Her arms were pulled back roughly and held behind her head.

"Stop! Let me go!"

**SMACK!**

A whimper escaped her lips. She fell silent.

She flinched as a hand reached out. She prepared herself for another slap, but was surprised when her glasses were removed instead.

The man chuckled and removed his mask, tossing it to the side. She strained to see his face but without her glasses there was practically no use.

A gloved hand touched her neck and traveled down to her shoulder. She shuddered from the cold touch.

"I'm going to enjoy this..."

"No! No stop! Please!"

His laughter echoed in her ears as she felt him tug at her dress. She kicked and screamed, but that didn't stop him from undressing her.

_Please!_

_Stop!_

Tears spilled down her cheeks as his hands traveled all over her body.

_Not again!_

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF!"

Gunfire rang out.

Screams and curses came from both sides, but Akira was too dazed to move.

Too dazed to speak even.

"Hey! Hey!"

When she opened her eyes, black spots danced around in her vision. Someone was talking to her.

Someone came to save her.

She wasn't going to die.

Her head tilted back and her eyes shut again.

_Yellow..._

_Like sunflowers..._

...

...

...

...

She felt warm...

Sunlight was pouring in through the windows, blinding her.

She turned over and snuggled into the hard and chiseled, yet warm and comfortable, body pillow. She closed her eyes and sighed contently.

Her eyes snapped open.

It wasn't a pillow she was snuggling with.

IT WAS A MAN!

A BARE CHESTED MAN!

His sleepy brown eyes opened. He smiled at her, draping an arm around her. She blushed as he pulled her closer.

"You're finally awake." He said softly.

Akira stared at this blonde, muscular man.

She did the only thing any sane person would do...

She screamed.

**Hello there! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The Boss's Woman!**** Within this story, majority of the Persona 5 cast will return but will be aged up. Most won't even know one another and it'll be as if the regular P5 storyline didn't occur. This story will have depictions of violent, sexual assault, and possible smut.** **This is rated M for a reason.**

**But again I hope you enjoyed. You can thank the people who PMed me and reviewed my other story for this.**

**They deserve all the credit for me writing this.**

**Thanks again and have a great day!**


	2. Chapter 2

To say Ryuji was shocked was a massive understatement.

Most women would love to wake up to a sexy man laying besides them. Hell, he can confirm that from all the bitches he's ever had here.

Apparently not this woman.

"Calm down lady. Stop screamin'. You're gonna wake everyone up." He said, sitting up.

The woman blushed and looked away. The two fell into a heavy silence.

_Shit. Maybe I should've left before she woke up._

While that might've been the smart thing to do, he was too worried to leave her alone.

Who would know what this woman would do if she woke up alone in a strange room.

_Prolly not wake up screaming..._

"Who... Who are you?"

His eyes snapped up to her. She wasn't exactly looking at him and she'd put significant distance between herself and his bed.

"When'd you wrap yourself up in my sheets?" He said, the corners of his lips quirking up a bit.

She blushed and gave him a hard stare, pulling the sheets tighter around her shoulders.

"I asked my question first!" She said.

The blonde yawned as he rose to his feet. He took his time, stretching and flexing as he stood. He knew she was watching his every move.

Might as well put on a show.

"I'm the man everyone calls Boss." He said, once he was standing at full height.

He moves closer to her. She moves away. It wasn't long before he cornered her, his arms blocking her from running.

"And I saved your pretty ass last night."

"...You?" She whispered.

"Don't ya remember?"

Because he sure did.

He remembered getting the call.

He remembered running and Inari yelling after him.

His mind was racing at the time. His eye was darting in every direction, searching for the dark haired woman.

That man's damn hands rubbing all over her as she screamed.

It's been a while since he last felt like that.

It made his blood boil.

He had been so angry that he hadn't even run after the bastard. His sole focus was her.

And only her.

"Honestly... no. I don't. It's... kinda fuzzy." She said, her eyes meeting his.

He searched her eyes for any form of deceit but found nothing. He backed off and sat back down on the bed.

"Well I did save you."

The two remained silent for a bit, unsure of what to say. She shuffled around in his sheet awkwardly, making his lips quirk upwards.

"You're prolly wondering where your clothes are." He said.

The mention of her missing items made her face him again.

"They were caked up in dirt an' shit so we had to clean 'em."

"Ah... I see." She mumbled.

Ryuji sighed.

Was he mistaken? He swore he had seen fire in her eyes at their first chance meeting.

Where's that fire now?

The blonde stands and points to a lone dresser in the corner of the room.

"There's clean clothes in there. Feel free to wear what you'd like."

He promptly leaves the room, picking up his own shirt as he goes.

The door closes behind him.

Outside the room, Inari was up and sitting on the couch with tea and coffee. Ryuji buttoned his shirt and sat with him. Inari promptly began preparing him hot chocolate.

"So?" He asked.

"So what?" Ryuji responed.

"How is the girl?"

The blonde shrugged.

"She seemed fine. A bit jumpy and scared but normal enough."

"I see..." He pushes the mug towards his boss, who gratefully takes it.

Inari stares expectantly at him as he drinks.

"What?"

"Well...?"

"Well what? Spit it out!"

Inari sighs and shakes his head.

"Well, what are your intentions with this girl? You sent men to watch her and judging by the look on your face, safe to assume she didn't jump on your dick. So now what?"

Ryuji opened his mouth to snap back, but the door opened.

The woman came out wearing a simple maroon sweater and a black skirt. She was fidgeting with the skirt when she noticed the two men staring at her. She cleared her throat then bowed.

"Thank you... for the clothes."

Inari eyed her up and down. He hummed in response.

"No problem."

"I'll be sure to wash and return it."

Ryuji shook his head, waving his hand dismissively.

"Just keep 'em."

She nodded, not wishing to argue over it. He watched her look around the room suspiciously. The living room they were in wasn't too fancy, but it was along the nicer lines.

"Let's go." Ryuji said as he spoke.

"Go? Go where?" She asked, her eyes filling with panic.

He sighed in exasperation.

"Calm down. We'll take you home."

He could see a wave of relief wash over her. Ryuji couldn't help but grin a bit. He turned to Inari and Inari stood.

"Get the car ready."

The blue hair man nodded and left the room. Ryuji pointed to the coffee on the table.

"You want coffee... or something?" He asked.

"Oh...Yes, thank you."

He poured her a cup and held it out to her. Her fingers grazed his as she accepted the cup. He watched as she took a sip. Her nose crinkled slightly and he couldn't help but chuckle quietly.

"Taste alright?" He asked.

She coughed a bit.

"It's... quite strong." She confessed.

"Yeah... most of the guys only like it black. Shit's nasty though."

She giggled and he grinned.

"Inari has some hot chocolate mix we could pour into there." He suggests.

"Inari?"

"That blue haired guy."

"Oh."

Before either of them could utter another word, Inari cleared his throat and looked at Ryuji. The blonde stood and headed for the door. He didn't need to turn to see if she was following him. He could hear her scrambling to keep up.

The black car had both the passenger and driver seat open. Ryuji jumped in and the woman gingerly entered the passenger's seat.

"Address?" He asked.

She hesitated but told him.

_Mentally noted. _He thought.

The drive to her house was quiet. No one spoke other than the occasional string of curses whenever Ryuji got stuck behind a slow driver or caught at a red light.

At the stoplights, he'd gaze over at the woman.

She didn't look at him, rather she payed attention to her surroundings. Her eyes seemed to light up as she looked through the windshield and the passenger window.

It was as if she'd never been in the city before.

_Strange lady._

He chuckled to himself and kept driving. It wasn't long before they reached her home. She was living in some apartment building. Not too shabby but definitely could be better.

Ryuji pulled on a face mask and a hat before the two got out of the car.

She walked up to the front door and he followed. They stopped and faced each in front of the building door.

"Ah... Thank you again. For everything." She said.

"It was nothing."

She swayed a bit, hesitanting and avoiding his eyes. The blonde raised his brow. He leaned closer to her face, pulling the mask down a bit.

"If ya got something to say, say it."

She blushed a bit, but still looked up and met his eyes without a moment of hesitation.

It took a lot in him not to step back in surprise.

_There was that fire again._ He thought.

"I wanted to ask if we could... meet up again." She said.

"Meet up?" He frowned.

The frown twisted into a full on grin.

"Oh... you meant a date by any chance?"

The small blush blossomed across her face.

"I-I wasn't trying to-"

Ryuji grabs her chin and pulls her face close to his. She gasps and pushes him off.

"What do you think you're doing!?" She yells.

"Just gettin' a rise outta ya. Had a feeling it'd be funny."

He chuckles as she glares at him. He waves as he walks back to the car.

"I'll see ya around Princess."

"Princess?"

He turns back to her.

"A fitting name for a woman like you."

"My name is Akira. Akira Kurusu." She says, crossing her arms.

_Akira huh? _He thought.

"Nice name Princess."

He chuckles again and opens the car door. He shoots her a wink then hops into the car. Before he can change the gear from park, a knock on his window makes him pause.

When he rolls down the window, Akira is there.

"What?" He asked.

"What's your name?"

The blonde stared at her.

"You can call me Sakamoto. See ya Princess."

He rolles the window back up and pulls out. He watches her disappear into her building from his front mirror. He sighed and gripped the wheel tighter.

"Least I know where she lives now..." He mumbled.

He grabbed his phone and began punching in a number.

"Hello?"

"Inari. We gotta talk."

"You know, you shouldn't be driving and using the phone."

"Fuck off."

* * *

Akira showered as soon as she got inside her apartment.

She hoped the events from the previous night would washed away as the hot water doused her body.

But it was to no avail. She could still remember it. She was lucky Sakamoto had helped her before it got really bad.

_Sakamoto..._

The mysterious blonde man who was perfectly fine sleeping half naked with a woman he barely knew.

_A mysterious, attractive, and muscular-_

Akira splashed water on her face.

"No no no. He was not! Stop thinking about him." She told herself.

She repeated those words like it was a mantra.

She said it as she dried herself off. As she dressed herself. As she tossed the clothes given to her in the hamper.

No dice.

He was still on her mind.

She opened her window and peered out. The food dish she'd left out was empty. She took it and walked to her kitchenette to find more cat food.

_Stop thinking about him__... _

The food made little tinkling sounds as it hit that bowl.

She paused momentarily.

"That's it!" She yelled to herself.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. She dropped the dish and food and ran for her phone.

_Google! Google has all the answers!_

Quickly, she typed into the search bar.

"Is... it... normal...to be... attracted to... someone who... saved your life?"

The page loaded.

Under her search was a suggested search.

**Is it natural to fall in love with someone who saved your life?**

Akira blushed at the insinuation.

_It's... It's not like **that**!_

And yet she still pressed it, albeit hesitantly.

She scrolled through the search, reading everything she could find. After a few minutes of reading, she signed in relief. It wasn't as strange and obscure as she thought.

_See? He's only on your mind because he saved you._

_Nothing more. Nothing less._

She smiled with renewed confidence. She resumed pouring catfood into the bowl.

"Meow!"

Akira perked up and rushed over to the window. She pulled it up, and slowly stuck her head out.

"Morgana! You ready to-"

She paused.

A pair of bright blue eyes stared back at her.

A blonde woman was also sticking herself out her window. She looked like she was in the middle of scratching Morgana's ears.

_It's the same woman from the hall!_

"Oh! Um... sorry! I didn't think anyone was out here." Akira said with an awkward smile.

The blonde returned said smile with one of her own.

"It's fine. I was just a bit surprised." She said.

The two didn't say anything for a bit, just watching the cat. Akira carefully looked over the woman.

She was so pretty. Her blonde hair was just perfect and her eyes sparkled.

_She must be a model or something._

"So... You named him Morgana?" The blonde asked.

The conversation pulled her back to reality. She gave the woman a sheepish look.

"Yeah... Wait. Does he belong to you?"

The blonde shook her head.

"No. He always just swings by. I never thought to name him... But I think Morgana suits him."

Morgana mewed as the blonde moved her fingers to scratch his back. He stayed there for a but before moving to Akira, who put down the food bowl for him. The blonde, snickered at the sight.

"What's so funny?" Akira asked.

"It's just... this cat is a bottomless pit." She says, trying to hold back laughter.

"What?"

"Everyone on this floor leaves out food for him. You're the thir-"

The blonde abruptly stopped.

Her laughter ceased and her smile disappeared.

"I mean... you're the second..."

Their happy banter became tense. Akira nervously played with a strand of her hair.

_She said third at first. Why'd she lie?_

As she thought, the blonde sighed a ran a hand through her hair.

"Sorry... I'm just tired and stressed... from work."

"It's fine." Akira nodded.

The blonde stuck her head back inside without saying another word.

_Well... that was sudden..._

Akira stayed out a bit longer, watching Morgana eat away at the food. It wasn't long before she too went back inside.

_So that woman is my next door neighbor..._

She thought back to their original meeting. Perhaps she was stressed and tired, and didn't even notice she had bumped into her. She seemed too nice to be outwardly rude to someone who was basically a stranger.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Coming!" She called.

She quickly moved to the door.

_Does the landlady need something?_

She blinked as she came face to face with the blonde.

"Sorry to bother you, but I just realized I didn't even introduce myself." The blonde said.

Akira looked over the blonde.

_She dresses... really nice... How does she afford it?_

The blonde held out a perfectly manicured hand.

"My name's Ann Takamaki."

"Akira Kurusu."

They shook hands and smiled at each other.

"It was nice meeting you. I hope we can be friends." Akira says as she releases her hand.

Takamaki twitches at her statement.

"Takamaki-san?"

"Whoops! Sorry! I just remembered... I have a really important phone call! Bye!"

The woman sped back to her apartment, slamming the door behind her.

Akira stares after her in frozen shock.

_What... just happened?_

* * *

Ann Takamaki sighed as she sank into her couch.

"What's wrong me?" She groans.

She had no reason to treat her neighbor so strangely. Kurusu-san seemed like a genuinely nice person.

"Dammit... this is the second time..." She whined aloud.

She kicked her feet in fury and groaned again.

When Ann had originally heard there was someone moving into Shiho's old apartment, she was indifferent, albeit sad.

As much as she loved Shiho, she was gone and wasn't coming back.

It made sense someone else would eventually move in.

But as Kurusu-san moved in, the sadness and anger returned.

Didn't the land lady have any sympathy?!

Someone had **died **in that room only 2 months prior.

Couldn't they have waited a bit longer before selling it off?!

Ann grew bitter and was deadset on avoiding her. She didn't need a new friend.

She wanted her best friend back.

So when she came face to face with Akira when exiting the elevator, all her anger and frustration began bursting at the seams.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to yell. She wanted to curse out the woman who had taken the last physical thing Shiho owned. A part her wanted to just jump the woman. Instead, she just shoved past her and angrily entered her apartment.

It was minutes after the encounter that she felt guilty.

Her neighbor didn't know she did anything wrong. It wasn't her fault.

That same day, she decided to apologize and buy her a welcome care package. She got a nice card with pretty stationary and some self care treatments. Face masks, scented lotions and candles, and little candies.

She bought it.

Sat it on her coffee table.

And bursted into tears.

She and Shiho would have spa nights and just watch movies, paint their nails, and have fun.

The same welcome package was still sitting on her coffee table too. She kept screwing up.

Ann grunts and rises off the cushion. She shakes out her head and goes into her room.

The curtains are drawn shut as she sits at her messy desk.

It's filled with newspapers clippings about Shiho's volleyball achievements and Suguru Kamoshida's history (personal and public). She glared down at his picture.

The damn, square chinned man.

**Shiho's old coach.**

Ann didn't trust him, even before Shiho passed.

He always had a strange smile pointed at her whenever Ann came to watch Shiho's games. He'd talk to her and gave her weird compliments.

She never said anything, just to be sure her friend wouldn't get in trouble.

Even at Shiho's funeral, he came uo to her and acted the same. It was like he didn't even care that one of his players had died.

But what sent off the alarm bells was when she remembered the last time Shiho and her had hung out beforebefore she passed.

**_"Ann?"_**

**_The blonde looked away from the movie and turned to her friend. She was becoming a little worse for wear, getting bruises and bags from nonstop practice._**** Her eyes were so downcast these days. It was beginning to worry her.**

**_"Yeah? You feeling ok?"_**

**_Shiho fell silent. Her hands shook a bit as she looked at her._**

**_"Shiho?"_**

**_"Kamoshida... He..."_**

**_Ann raised her brow._**

**_"Kamoshida? Your coach? What'd he do?"_**

**_Shiho's eyes dart away and she just sighs._**

**_"Nothing..."_**

**_"Are you sure?"_**

**_"Yeah... I'm...just tired. He's been working us pretty hard."_**

**"Yeah... Volleyball is a really tough sport. You should tell him to give you more breaks."**

**"I can't do that... But I'll be sure to rest up more."**

**"You wanna skip the movie and just head to bed?"**

**"Maybe? You can keep watching though."**

**Shiho stands and waves before limping to the door.**

**"Night Shiho!"**

**"Goodnight."**

**The door clicks behind her and Ann stares after her.**

**"What was she gonna say?"**

Shiho had tried to tell her something.

Something about Kamoshida.

Kamoshida had to be related to her death.

There was no other option.

In the far corner away from the clutter was a picture of her and Shiho from highschool.

"Shiho... I promise I'll find out the truth..."

She stares at the photo as tears slip from her eyes.

"I won't let your death be in vain... I'll get Kamoshida. I swear I will."

She wiped her eyes and focuses back on the work in front of her.

**_**

**Dang. It's been a minute since I've updated...**

**My bad guys. It's just been hectic. However, now I'm home and taking online college classes because of the virus pandemic. I've become much lazier and due to that I've been avoiding work and been focusing on updating my stories instead. **

**Stay tuned and stay safe everyone!**

**Have a nice day!**


	3. Chapter 3

Akira smiled and waved at the customer as they left the counter. Once they were out the door, she sighed.

Normally, she loved working.

Being around all the flowers and working with them was honestly a dream come true.

And yet she was anxiously waiting for her shift to be over.

In truth, taking Lavenza's work shift wasn't the distraction she was hoping it would be.

She just kept thinking about the night she was attacked. The memory was supposed to be so vivid in her mind...

Except it wasn't.

She could clearly remember running and trying to get away. She could remember being slammed to the ground and held there. She remembered thinking she was going to get raped and left for dead in an alley.

But she couldn't remember who.

She couldn't place a face to the man who had done it.

She didn't have a solid case to try and report it. The prosecutors would have to prove that violence or intimidation was involved or that she, the victim, was "incapable of resistance". Akira did resist but it was useless. The man and his backup were far too strong for her.

And there was no way she could talk to her parents about this.

Her claim was already falling apart. Not knowing the man she was accusing left it practically in shambles.

She sighed in defeat.

_'Is there anything I can do?'_

Akira played with the ends of her braids as she once again tried remembering the man.

All she could see is the blurred face of a man and hear how he laughed at her.

She cursed under her breath.

**_DING!_**

She shook her head and turned to the door with a smile.

"Hello!"

* * *

Ryuji sat across from the flower shop again. Besides him, Yusuke sat and watched as well.

"So this is where you're going to spend your free time?" Yusuke asked.

Ryuji scowled at him.

"There a problem?"

"Are you really that desperate for sex?"

"No! It ain't like that!" Ryuji yelled.

A few passerbys looked strangely at the pair, prompting the blonde to calm down a bit.

"Then what is it? Surely there's more than you're letting on." Yusuke pressed.

Ryuji only crossed his arms and sank deeper into the bench. Yusuke would drop it if he didn't respond. That he knew for a fact.

As nosy as he was, he knew when to stop pushing.

His eyes refocused on the black-haired woman putting together a bouquet. She moved confidently, adding flowers gracefully together to tie. Her eyes shimmered as she spoke to the customer.

_'D__amn...__'_

Ryuji wasn't going to lie. He found Akira very attractive. She was obviously very pretty and he'd bet she was pretty sexy under that "good girl" persona.

...The good girl look was pretty sexy too.

Yusuke sighed, drawing the blonde's attention away from the store.

"If you're gonna keep bitchin', go back to base!"

"Leaving you here alone would cause far more trouble." He responded.

A string of muttered curses left Ryuji's mouth.

"The least you could do is be useful and go buy us somethin' to eat." He snapped.

"...I'm... out of money."

"Already?! How!?"

"If you saw the lobsters they-"

"Shuddap! Forget I asked!"

They sit in silence for a moment.

"So... are you going to-?"

"Just go get me an energy drink!" He says, shoving money into the man's hands.

Yusuke smiles victoriously before walking off.

Ryuji runs a hand through his hair, trying to hold back an irritated scream. His eyes flit back to the flower shop. Akira was waving. He almost waved back, but caught himself. She obviously wasn't waving to him. No need to draw her attention.

Yet.

She went back to watering and tending the plants around her. Ryuji's eyes strained to follow her as she weaved between shelves.

**BUZZ! BUZZ!**

He dug into his pocket, staring down at his buzzing phone.

A single text message was highlighted on the screen.

**1:30 PM - We got a lead boss**

_'Fi__nally!__'_

He stood and began briskly walking towards the direction Yusuke went.

**1:33 PM - What do you have**

**1:34 PM - A name. Kamoshida**

The blonde grinned at the screen.

Looks like he was paying Kamoshida a visit.

* * *

Akira waved to Elizabeth as she exited the shop with a sigh.

Work really wasn't the distraction she was looking for...

She sighed as she adjusted her glasses. Her mind was racing at million miles per hour.

She just couldn't relax.

And that's why she ended up smacking into someone. She stumbled back, barely catching herself.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." She apologized.

"That's quite alright. Are you hurt?"

Akira looked up and saw the person who she had carelessly bumped into. He was a rather tall man with a particularly square chin. His hair was black and somewhat curly.

He was also very buff.

"I'm fine. How about you?" She asked.

He smiled down at her.

"Nothing's broken so that's a good sign."

Akira smiled back.

She attempted to keep walking, but the man stepped back into her path. Nervously, she grabbed the strap of her purse.

"Can I help you with something?" She said.

The man somehow made his smile grow.

"I'm glad you asked!"

He held his hand out.

"I'm Suguru Kamoshida, a personal trainer." He said.

She took his hand and shook it.

"Akira Kurusu, florist."

Her answer seemed to show him.

"A florist! You look as if you could be a model. Your face, your figure, ... those legs." He grinned.

Akira chuckled awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

"Regardless, here's my card."

He thrusts a business card into her hands.

"I own a gym and it would be a _pleasure_ to see you there Kurusu-san."

"Um... I'm not really the gym type." She says.

He pulls her close, wrapping his meaty arm around her shoulders. She tensed under his grip, but he seemingly didn't notice.

"Trust me Kurusu-san! Working out is for anyone. We don't judge anyone. It's a very accepting environment!"

As Kamoshida spoke, his excitement grew. He kept pulling her closer and closer each time he spoke.

_'God... Does he have no concept of personal space?'_

"I'll... consider it." She mumbled.

Kamoshida beamed and nodded.

"I look forward to seeing you there~!"

Akira only nodded and the man bounded away, leaving her slightly frazzled by the encounter.

_'He must be desperate to get customers if he's asking someone like me.'_

While she wasn't necessarily unhealthy, she wasn't exactly healthy either. The number of times she ate ramen and frozen food for dinner only proved that.

She did do yoga occasionally though.

She looked down at the business card.

**KING KAMOSHIDA'S GYM**

**OPEN 24 HOURS**

**_Be prepared to work your body!_**

"King Kamoshida huh?" She murmured.

She tucked the card into her bag and resumed walking.

"I should stop by LeBlanc for lunch. I'm in the mood for Sojiro's curry." She said to herself.

A smile crept on her face as she imagined his fantastic food paired with a nice espresso or latte. Her pace quickened unconsciously as she ventured down the street.

The bell dinged as she opened the door.

Behind the counter was a middle-aged man with slicked-back dark hair smoking. His gray eyes from behind his glasses flicked towards her.

"Good afternoon Sojiro-san!"

He smiles a bit at her.

"Hey, you're back."

He turns and puts out his cigarette.

"The usual?" He asked.

"Yes please." She says as she takes a seat.

Sojiro begins cooking but the two share small conversation as he does.

Sojiro Sakura was the owner of Cafe LeBlanc, as well as one of the first people Akira became comfortable with when she moved.

They had met through his daughter Futaba, who was in her second year of high school.

Futuba had come into The Velvet Room looking for flowers but was struggling to converse with Elizabeth. Akira had walked in to start her shift when she saw how nervous the girl was when talking with her coworker.

Futuba looked like she was panic when Akira had stepped in. For some reason, the girl felt much more at ease when talking with her. It wasn't long before she had discovered the reason Futuba had come to the store. She wanted to buy flowers for her dad's birthday.

The two had spent some time looking through flowers and Akira explaining what each flower meant. They eventually settled on red tulips for "love you" and gentians for "gratitude".

Futuba had thanked her immensely and told her to visit their cafe sometime.

And since then, she often came to the cafe to eat and to catch up with them.

"Where's Futuba?" She asked.

"She's still at Shujin... Must be working on something." He said.

Akira nodded.

He turned and placed a plate of rice and curry in front of her, followed by a cup of coffee.

"Enjoy."

"Thank you."

She dug in immediately and just like she did with every meal she had here, her taste buds sang in rejoice. It was like fireworks in her mouth.

"Your food is always great Sojiro."

"It's nothing special." He said with a shrug.

He wiped his hands off on his apron and moved to switch on the TV. The news played quietly. The front doorbell dinged again and Sojiro went to assist his new customers.

Akira stared at her almost empty plate.

_'I wonder if Sakamoto would like this...'_

A small blush blossomed on her cheeks. Her hands quickly moved to conceal it.

Now really wasn't the time to be thinking about this but now that she thought about him, she couldn't stop.

_'I wonder what he's doing...'_

* * *

Ryuji and Inari stood outside a large building.

"King Kamoshida's Gym?" Inari asked.

"What kind of asshole names himself a king?" Ryuji spat.

The two could see women working on machines from the large windows. They could also see a volleyball court through others.

"Why are we here again?" Inari said.

"This guy is in some shady shit. He's got something we want." He said.

"Understood."

Without another word, Ryuji walked up the steps. Inari followed closely behind.

They passed through the revolving doors and the inside looked even larger.

The floors shined and upbeat music assaulted their ears. Shoes squeaked as they moved. Chatter and gossip were heard from all angles of the room. They could hear snippets but they really didn't care.

There were all kinds of machines and tons of women working out.

In fact...

There were only women.

Women bouncing around in crop tops, sports bra, booty shorts, and glistening in sweat.

They were the only guys there.

"What the hell?" Ryuji said.

"It seems this gym is only for women," Inari whispered.

"Ex-Excuse me?"

The two turned to the source of the voice. It belonged to a short, blue-haired man with a few bandages and bruises on his face.

"What?" Ryuji asked.

The short man shrank away a bit.

"Um... I've never seen you here before..." He mumbled.

"And?"

"A-And I assume you're not gym members..." He continued.

Inari and Ryuji shared a look.

"Fine. Sign me up." Ryuji said, crossing his arms.

"Wh-What?!" The man gasped.

Ryuji leaned towards him, towering over him.

"Sign. Me. Up." Ryuji repeated.

The shorter man began sweating bullets.

"I-I'd love to! I mean- I wish I could! But um... I don't, no I can't, give you a membership!" He stutters.

"Why not?" Ryuji pressed.

The short man looks seconds away from passing out before Inari steps in, putting an arm between Ryuji and the man.

"Apologies-" Inari looks at his name tag, "Mishima. My friend here has a rather short temper. Why can't we sign up for the gym membership?"

"We?! You BOTH want to sign up!? Oh boy..."

Mishima runs a hand through his hair. When he does, Ryuji notices more bandages on his arm.

"How'd you get all those injuries?" He asks.

Mishima visibly flinches.

"I... I'm pretty clumsy..."

_'That's a fucking lie.'_

Body language speaks volumes, and Ryuji wasn't as stupid as he looks.

"Sure..."

Suddenly, shrill shrieks fill the room.

"It's him!"

"Oh my God! No way!"

"It's Kamoshida!"

All the ladies in the room start screaming and cheering. Ryuji strains his eyes and finally see why. The only guy in the room beside them had just walked out from another room.

Kamoshida.

The man was flexing and smiling for the flock of women swarming him. Some try offering him towels and water. He accepts and pours the water over his head.

This makes the women of the gym go even crazier.

"That's Kamoshida?" Inari whispers.

"That's him," Ryuji says back.

The blonde watches Kamoshida interact with the crowd. He then sees a group of women discreetly leave from the room he just emerged from. They look tired and have injuries too.

"Hey... You guys should probably go..."

The men look back to Mishima. He looks more tense and has straightened himself a bit.

But his eyes...

His eyes look scared.

He hands the two business cards.

"...Please. Just take a card and go."

The sounds of shrieking women increases and they can now hear the distinct sound of a deep male voice.

"Please..." Mishima begs.

Ryuji scowls but complies.

"Fine. But we'll be back."

The two men leave the gym and don't bother looking back. Once outside, they find refuge on a bench not too far.

"There is something very strange going on at that gym," Inari said, closing his eyes.

"Definitely. That Kamoshida guy... something's not right with him... The way every in that gym acted like he was hot shit and that Mishima guy... He's hiding somethin' too." Ryuji nods.

"You think he has something to do with that woman?" Inari asks.

"Maybe... he's the only lead we got. Might as well look into it." He responds.

Ryuji frowns to himself as he thinks over what he's seen then looks at the business card Mishima gave him.

The card had a number on it. Probably Kamoshida's.

"Inari. We're going." He said.

"Back to base?"

"Back to base."

* * *

Akira had been walking home when she saw a crowd forming around an alleyway. Yellow police tape separated the crowd from the professionals at work.

She stood near the back and overheard the gossip.

"Another girl?"

"She looks so young though..."

"Why hasn't anyone caught the culprit yet?!"

"Is it even the same guy? They've never struck during the day."

The people continued chatting and gossiping, even when the ambulance and paramedics came. They carried a young woman onto a stretcher and carted her into the back of the ambulance.

"What happened...?" She mumbled.

"You must be pretty new to not know."

Akira jumped and stood back a bit.

A man with shaggy, neck length brown hair with bangs and reddish-brown eyes looked at her. He was dressed rather nicely, carried a briefcase, and looked polite.

"Apologies. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just surprised you haven't heard of the Back Alley Gang." He said.

"Back Alley Gang?" She mumbled.

"Yes. The Back Alley Gang is a group of people who commit crimes in the back alleys of this area. Things like smuggling, human trafficking, organ trafficking, rape, murder, and who knows what else." He explained.

Akira stilled at the word rape. The memories flooded her brain, assaulting her with blurry imagery.

The feel of her wrists bruising under someone's rough touch.

Pavement scraping at her bare shoulders and back as she flailed about.

Wet tears soaking her face.

_'The Back Alley Gang...'_

Was she attacked by them?

From the sounds of it, she was lucky to escape from them if she really was attacked by The Back Alley Gang.

"That's... insane." She mumbles.

"Do be cautious when going through the alleys, especially at night." The man said.

He frowned and brought his finger to his lips.

"However, today's events make me want to tell a woman like yourself to just avoid the alleys all together. But that's a bit of a stretch." He sighed.

"Thank you for the concern-"

"Akechi."

"Akechi?"

"Yes. That's my name."

"Oh! Of course. Akira Kurusu."

He takes her hand and kisses it. A blush rises in her cheeks.

"It's a pleasure Kurusu-san. Please stay safe."

He releases her hand and then disappears into the crowd. Akira sputters to herself then heads toward the subway. As she leaves, Akechi watches.

He chuckles to himself as her form disappears from his sight.

"Well... that was refreshing. She was quite cute." He says.

"Akechi."

He turns to face a middle-aged woman with silver hair. She looks at him seriously.

"Yes, Sae-san?"

"We're leaving now. We need to go over the evidence and see if this murder is actually a crime done by the Back Alley Gang."

"Yes, of course."

Akechi takes another glance back in the direction Akira had left in. He smirks.

_'She's rather interesting too. She smelled like flowers...'_

He then follows Sae back to the car.

* * *

Akira stared at the business card.

She then stared at the mirror.

"Hmmm..." She mumbled.

She poked at her gut and proceeded to squeeze it between her palms. She turned to and fro, examining her naked self.

No super noticeable bruises.

No super noticeable cuts or scrapes.

No pimples.

No acne.

Just body fat.

She gently poked her stomach again.

"Maybe too much fat..." She said.

Her eyes traveled back to the card.

"A little more exercise wouldn't kill me. And it's a judgment-free gym according to Kamoshida-san."

She nodded and decided.

She was going to sign up for a membership at King Kamoshida's Gym.

Turning the knobs in her shower, she stepped into a heaven of hot water. She let the water cascade down her body as she closed her eyes.

A content sigh left her lips.

As she daydreamed, thoughts of the rugged blonde Sakamoto crept into her mind.

But this time, she didn't shoo them away.

As her mind wandered to him, Ryuji was thinking about her.

He sat on a sofa while his grunts filed in.

"What do ya got on him?" He asked.

One of his men stepped forward.

"Suguru Kamoshida. He was once a volleyball Olympian who won tons of gold medals. When he stepped down, he went on to create his own gym and created an Olympic Girl's Volleyball team. He also works part-time at the local high school Shujin Academy as a physical education teacher." The man recited.

Ryuji nodded as the information was laid down on him.

"Alright. And what's wrong with the fucker?"

Another grunt laid a newspaper on the table, pushing it towards their boss.

"It's better if you read it yourself..."

The blonde grumbled as he swiped up the paper.

"You guys know I fuckin' hate reading..."

The paper had a picture of a black-haired smiling girl.

The headline...

**_Woman commits suicide at her apartment!_**

Ryuji's eyebrows raise.

The story details an unnamed girl taking her life by jumping off the roof of her building. The paper was kind enough to leave out the name of the newly deceased and where she took her life.

"And what does this have to do with him?"

Inari holds out a laptop towards him.

"Kamoshida has a website for his volleyball team."

The same girl in the newspaper was pictured on the front page. In fact, Kamoshida had a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She was smiling in the photo but Ryuji was an expert on fake smiles. He wore one all the time.

That girl was faking it.

Every girl on that team was faking it.

"He's up to some shit." The blonde said as he stood from his chair.

The men around him gave him space as he paced around the room. He cursed then kicked the wall.

"Find dirt on him."

"YES SIR!"

The grunts scrambled out of the room, minus Inari, who stood and stared at Ryuji.

"You sure there's a connection?" Inari asked.

"Without a fuckin' doubt. I already hate Kamoshida because he looks like an asshole and probably is one. But think about it... That Mishima guy looked freaked out and scared shitless when Kamoshida showed at the gym. And every girl in that picture looks miserable." He snapped.

Inari simply shrugged.

"Are you sure you're not just looking for someone to go against for that girl? A scapegoat?"

Ryuji growls at him.

"You questionin' my authority!?"

Inari doesn't flinch.

"No. I'm questioning your judgment."

The two have a stare-off for a bit, before Ryuji sighs and sinks into his chair.

"Fuck... I don't know Yusuke."

"You said my name. This must be serious." Inari said with a small smile.

"Shuddap!"

He takes a seat besides Ryuji.

"I don't know... Something's definitely not right with that Kamoshida guy but maybe I just need to get laid."

Inari shook his head.

"What does getting laid have to-"

Ryuji stands.

"I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up."

Before Inari can say anything more, his blonde boss was already gone. He sighs and holds his head.

* * *

**Thank you all for reading! I finally got a new phone so it's easier for me to work on chapters again. However, I do think it's messing up some of the spacing, but hopefully not too much.****Hope you enjoyed and have a nice day.**


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